3 Surprising Ways Technology is Taking Over Healthcare

Healthcare will always be a people-driven business, because there are simply some things a machine can’t do. Doctors and other medical professionals are able to listen to patients; they are able to comfort and console; and they can make creative leaps — after all, a machine is only as good as its programming.

But as technology gains more of a foothold in healthcare, the industry itself is shifting from a science to a practice. Here are three big ways technology is taking over healthcare.

Better Diagnoses

One of the biggest ways technology is taking over healthcare is in the way patients are diagnosed. Ask a different doctor, get a different diagnosis is a trend that has gone on for far too long, and it could be dangerous.

In the United States, over 40,000 ICU patients die every year from misdiagnosis — that is roughly the same number of people who die from breast cancer.

Even worse, errors in diagnosis are rarely related to a true difference of opinion. Over 75 percent of misdiagnoses stem from refusing to adjust an initial diagnosis, even in the face of other evidence. These errors hurt patients, and they hurt the healthcare industry–the average malpractice claim is roughly $300,000.

Technology is providing a new opportunity for healthcare; by creating objective standards for diagnosis, with visual efforts and possibilities for collaboration, diagnoses can become more balanced and more accurate.

New Systems

Some two-thirds of misdiagnosis cases are due to issues in the system itself. Poor processes, a lack of teamwork, and poor communication are to blame in 65 percent of cases. Much of what doctors do, like testing and checkups, are things that can be done just as effectively with sensors, a skilled technician, and a database that interprets all the readings.

Moreover, when developed and managed effectively, the healthcare system itself can interact and relate. This creates a feedback loop so that not only is the most complete information about an individual available and integrated but the data from that person’s experience gets fed back into the system to make more informed diagnoses and more effective treatment plans.

Fewer Doctors

The interdisciplinary design, adoption, and application of this sort of IT-based healthcare is called health informatics. Most professionals will have a Masters in health informatics — not a medical discipline nor a technology degree, but something in the middle.

The big advantage here is that these professionals are not trained in the whole range of information technology or computer sciences, nor are they required to pass medical school. Instead, they are trained specifically in those technology solutions that have a role in healthcare and in those aspects of healthcare that can be objectified to the point that a machine can interpret the meaning of patient readings.

Doctors are expected to go through medical school, remember everything they have learned on their chosen specialities with utter accuracy, and be able to apply that knowledge to help people become better. At the same time, they have to spend time taking readings, interpreting lab results, and completing other repetitive, easily automated tasks. Technology is changing that.

Gail Gardner is the founder of GrowMap.com. She is a Small Business Marketing Strategist she mentors small businesses, bloggers, and freelancers.
After 23 years in the field with IBM and 5.5 years managing AdWords accounts, her focus shifted to small business marketing strategy. GrowMap.com is listed by Cision as a Top 100 Site for Marketers and has received three Small Business Influencer Awards from Small Business Trends. Named by D&B a Top 50 SMB Influencer on Twitter, you can follow Gail @GrowMap and on LinkedIn.

Comments

This is just nothing, there are few technology predictions which you won’t believe are going to be true in the upcoming 20 years. The technology will soon take over in every field health, automotive, humans etc everything!

This breakthrough will help medical experts respond to outbreaks quickly as well as take preventative measures. And as more and more people use the web to search for their own medical problems, these internet giants will have even more information to apply to scientific studies. Thanks for sharing.Melody would love you to read ..Washer Drive Motor Coupler

It’s fact that The healthcare technology will be reaching at Sky level day by day , technology is taking over healthcare is in the way patients are diagnosed everywhere , We can contact with doctores without any issue ..

The healthcare technology will be gone to another level. The new systems will be able diagnoses better and the patients can be feel more comfort, as well.Biplob Karmakar would love you to read ..How to fix water damaged phone

Such percentage of deaths is an awful statistic. The new systems should be given a way, actually, they make correct diagnoses. And, of course, the doctors should improve their skills and knowledge, in my opinion human factor for medicine is fundamental.

Nice Blog thanks for the blog technology is taking over healthcare is in the way patients are diagnosed. Ask a different doctor, get a different diagnosis is a trend that has gone on for far too long, and it could be dangerous.
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